Medical Assistant Curriculum Rego Park NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Rego Park New York

Rego Park NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Rego Park NY, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? A number of prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Rego Park NY nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Rego Park NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Rego Park NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Rego Park NY There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Rego Park NY area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the right choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Rego Park NY medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Rego Park NY medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Rego Park NY with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Rego Park NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Rego Park NY area health care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Rego Park medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Finding that very first job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Rego Park NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before choosing a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Rego Park NY, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Rego Park New York?

If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Rego Park NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.

Rego Park, Queens

Rego Park is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City. Rego Park is bordered to the north by Elmhurst and Corona, the east and south by Forest Hills, and the west by Middle Village. Rego Park's boundaries include Queens Boulevard, the Long Island Expressway, Woodhaven Boulevard, and Yellowstone Boulevard. There is a large Jewish population in the neighborhood, which features high-rise apartment buildings and detached houses, as well as a large commercial zone.

Rego Park is built on a swamp called the Hempstead Swamp, which once extended to St. John's Cemetery in Middle Village. By 1653, though, English and Dutch farmers moved into the area and founded a community called Whitepot, which was a part of the Township of Newtown. Whitepot is believed to be so named because the original Dutch settlers named the area "Whiteput", or "hollow creek"; later, English settlers Anglicized the name.[5] The Remsen family created a burial ground, which is still located on Alderton Street near Metropolitan Avenue. The colonists also founded the Whitepot School, which operated until the late 19th century.[5]

In the Hempstead Swamp, which turned out to be good for farming, the colonists cultivated hay, straw, rye, corn, oats, and vegetables.[5] The original Dutch, English, and German farmers sold their produce in Manhattan; by the end of the 19th century, though, Chinese farmers moved in and sold their goods exclusively to Chinatown.[5]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Rego Park NY

Rego Park NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Curriculum. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Rego Park NY.